EDINBURGH LEISURE COACHES RAISE THE BAR

Edinburgh Leisure is expanding the clubgolf coaching programme it began
on its six municipal golf courses last year after putting a further
four volunteer coaches through the PGA Level 1 volunteer coaching
course at Silverknowes Golf Course last weekend.
A year ago, 15 Edinburgh Leisure-sponsored volunteer coaches become PGA
Level 1 coaches. During the summer they taught Stage 1 Year 1 of the
clubgolf programme to 80 Edinburgh children.
"The majority of last year's coaches will come back again to coach this
summer," said Colin Hutchison, Edinburgh Leisure's Golf Development
Officer, who is one of the newly trained volunteer coaches. "Four more
have been trained this year already and we will have potentially
another three or four doing the training later in the year."
A larger coaching team means Mr Hutchison will be able to take on a new
group of children this year, at the same time as develop the skills of
the 2007 intake by offering them Stage 2 of the Year 1 programme.
"I'd like to bring back as many of last year's children, hopefully a
third, so we can run three Year 2 classes, starting in April," he said.
"The initial response has been really good and we've got 15 coming back
already for Stage 2 - I'm certain we will get more over the next few
weeks.
"Additionally we hope to have approximately eight Stage 1 Year 1
classes from June, depending on how many children we get coming out of
the schools again, this year."
Emerging out of Scotland's successful bid to host the Ryder Cup,
clubgolf is a partnership between the Scottish Golf Union, the Scottish
Ladies' Golfing Association, the Professional Golfers' Association, the
Golf Foundation and sportscotland. The strategy has been developed as a
direct result of the Scottish Executive's commitment to introduce every
nine-year-old child in Scotland to the game by 2009.
clubgolf's six-week introductory course, firstclubgolf, uses modified
equipment to give children in primary schools an enjoyable first
impression of the game.
Children then have the opportunity to progress to Year 1, Stage 1 of
clubgolf's Player Pathway. Hosted by local golf clubs and courses,
Year 1 is a 23-hour course, covering the fundamentals of putting,
chipping, full swing, rules and etiquette, taught by the club's fully
trained volunteer coaches. After Stage 1 Year 1, there are a further
four stages on the Player Pathway.
"Most of the children who will be on our Stage 1 Year 1 course will
have played the introductory game at school but we will also
accommodate children who haven't had the opportunity to play in
school," added Mr Hutchison. "We want to give every child a chance."
For further information contact: Colin Hutchison, Golf Development
Officer on:
T: 0131 652 2178 or e: golf@edinburghleisure.co.uk